Writing Center

Hours of Operation

Drop-Ins: This is a perfect time to stop by with a quick question or concern.

Monday 9am-12pm

Tuesday 9am-10am

Thursday 9am-10am

Appointments: These hours are for focused, 50-minute one-on-one sessions with tutors. Make an appointment at www.gwc.genbook.com

Monday: 6pm-8pm

Tuesday: 4pm-8pm

Wednesday: 4pm-8pm

Thursday: 4pm-8pm

Friday: 9am-12pm

Supporting students for success.

Open Spring and Fall Semesters. Services not available over the summer or during holidays/breaks.

From blank sheet of paper to polished copy, the Graduate Writing Center loves to help bring beautiful words into the world. Do you have punctuation problems? Development dilemmas? Writer's block? Grammar headaches? Word choice worries? Never fear! The Graduate Writing Center is here!

You can find us on the west wing of the Simoneau house at 456 Van Buren Street. We offer one hour appointments (limited to one per student per week), but if there is an open slot that no one is using, you can just drop in!

Before your session

For walk-ins, please bring two copies of your paper, the assignment guidelines, and a copy of the writing feedback form. The feedback form is available on the Writing Center Moodle Site or right here. Though we do not require the feedback form, it is highly recommended that you fill it out and give the questions some thought before your session. Doing so will truly maximize your experience.

For pre-scheduled appointments, please send your paper, assignment guidelines, and feedback form to your tutor 24 to 48 hours in advance (You will see your tutor's name when you sign up. Make sure to note his/her name and send your paper over Outlook). This will allow your tutor to read your paper ahead of time and learn what you want to discuss during your session. On the day of your session, bring a copy of your paper. If this is a second or third session on the same paper, please bring along any notes or comments form your previous session, if possible.

If your paper is 15+ pages, it may not be possible for your tutor to read your paper a day ahead of time or to discuss with you within your 45 minute session. In this case, we recommend that you submit your paper well in advance of your appointment and to schedule a series of two or three appointments to discuss your paper. In fact, the earlier in your process you are able to come to the GWC, the more we can help you. If you come to an appointment an hour before your paper is due, have realistic expectations. We will not edit your paper for you or make it perfect for your class-- that's your job! On that note, check out our teaching methodology:

Teaching Methodology

The GWC takes a process approach to teaching writing. Tutors don’t look at a paper as a final draft. Rather, they see a paper as evolving over multiple drafts. Tutors will help students brainstorm ideas, compose outlines, structure their papers, improve the fluency of their ideas, and adhere to stylistic conventions of their field (e.g., APA or Chicago, etc.). The structure of the session always focuses on the student’s needs. Tutors expect, however, that students will take full responsibility for their learning and work with the tutor to improve their writing.

Our Tutors

GWC tutors are highly qualified writing instructors who are able to help both native and nonnative writers improve their writing skills at the graduate level. Their area of content expertise varies from tutor to tutor, so it’s best to ask.